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In this article, we focus on the design of different node architectures suitable for few-mode multi-core fibers (FMMCFs) based networks. Both dimensions, core and mode, open different possible ways to group spatial channels depending on the physical impairments of the space-division multiplexed (SDM) optical fibers. Moreover, the channel switching across a group of cores/modes at once and the end-to-end routing are not only mandatory aspects for certain spatial channels, but also recommendable in order to reduce the node complexity/cost. Thus, we propose various SDM-capable node architectures based on versatile and homogeneous spatial group configurations. Then, a unified physical-layer-aware Quality of Transmission (QoT) estimator is formulated to not only evaluate these node architectures in a simulation tool, but also validate them in a real experimental environment using a stateful path computation element (PCE) as a central controller. The obtained results disclose that the cost-efficient node design parameter, namely, the size of the spatial group G, depends on both the network and traffic profile size. Specifically, for a national optical backbone network equipped with a homogeneous and hexagonally arranged 6-weakly-coupled modes and 7-weakly-coupled cores fibers, G equals 6, while for a continental backbone network, G can raise up to 14. In any case, we demonstrate that the cost-benefit tradeoff in node design must be analyzed in detail in order to meet the huge traffic volumes of the next years. This work was supported by the Spanish Project AURORAS under Grant RTI2018-099178-B-I00.